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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25804339">convenience store phone booths</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeypressed/pseuds/honeypressed'>honeypressed</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stray Kids (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blind Date, Enemies to Lovers, First Dates, Fluff, Friends to Enemies to Lovers, Getting Together, KIND OF I GUESS, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, Magical Realism, Miscommunication, i monologue abt love languages but through seungjin, if u think its similar to 1095 or sikhye LOOK AWAY, its very complicated listen, poor lix he just wanted to set his friends up</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 10:48:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,123</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25804339</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeypressed/pseuds/honeypressed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Felix tells him that a friend called Sky had moved back to their home town since he was away for studies and offers to set them up on a blind date, Hyunjin doesn't think much about it. After all, he had been thinking about meeting new people lately, so it was a perfect opportunity, was it not? </p><p>It's just that he isn't expecting Sky to be Kim Seungmin. Not when he is convinced that Kim Seungmin hates his guts.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hwang Hyunjin/Kim Seungmin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>77</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Summer Solstice 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>convenience store phone booths</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/seungtivist/gifts">seungtivist</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>HELLO some people will know that i wrote this in a rush but HHHH let's not talk about that &lt;3 or that i might have accidentally recycled my own fics &lt;33 or that i have not written seungjin since last valentine's &lt;333</p><p>the fic is based off this prompt: Person A visits home for the summer for the first time in years since moving away to pursue the career of their choice. Person B is their childhood enemy, and they are both set up together by friends.</p><p>as always, i hope you enjoy it !!!!!!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <em>what should I do</em>
</p><p>
  <em>you, who are hurting because of me</em>
</p><p>
  <em>what should I do</em>
</p><p>
  <em>me, who would hurt without you</em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>He has to wonder when his life had become so predictable. Not that predictable was bad – it was just that there was once a time in his life when there were new things to look forward to, and now that he’s an adult it just seemed like there was nothing new apart from waking up every day with no expectation of anything to change or vary. </p><p> </p><p>It makes him want to - change something. Perhaps he should go on a trip somewhere, even if it’s a local destination. Just for a change of scenery, breathe new air and maybe even meet new people. </p><p> </p><p>Then he shakes his head, laughs a bit and settles back into his pillow even more securely. He has a dance studio to take care of, he can’t just up and go somewhere… maybe he should put out additional advertisements so more new people would join a class. He’d certainly meet new people that way, and might cure his sudden onset of wanderlust.</p><p> </p><p>Vaguely, he thinks about what he should do for the rest of the evening - and that’s when his phone starts chiming in rapid succession with a flood of messages. </p><p> </p><p>[<em> Haengbokkie </em>]</p><p> </p><p>[<em> 18:42 </em>] jinnie!!!! </p><p>[<em> 18:42 </em>] do you wanna go to the convenience store with me :D</p><p>[<em> 18:42 </em>] i have some news to tell you &lt;33</p><p> </p><p>[<em> 18:45 </em>] sure!! </p><p>[<em> 18:45 </em>] is it good news??</p><p>[<em> 18:46 </em>] i’ll meet you there in 10 minutes</p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin has to smile at the thought of Felix. Despite everything, Felix never fails to lift his mood, and just like that he already has plans for the evening. Not doubting that they will, as usual, spend the whole time just clearing the convenience store shelves of their prepackaged food, Hyunjin gets up and shrugs on a hoodie and swaps his sweatpants for a pair of jeans. He checks he has the keys to his apartment and his phone before he leaves for the convenience store around the corner. </p><p> </p><p>Autumn has just set in, and Hyunjin feels the chill a little more than he probably should. A cold evening, he decides, and stuffs his hands inside his hoodie pockets and speeds his steps up towards the convenience store.</p><p> </p><p>The convenience store is just as mundane and plain as any other convenience store, but both he and Felix are convinced that the triangle <em> kimbaps </em> at this convenience store is better than any other. It’s the reason why he and Felix often meet here to eat and just catch up, and he’s sure he knows every cashier here by name now. </p><p> </p><p>He pushes the door to the convenience store open, and sighs in relief at the heating that keeps the store relatively warm. There aren’t too many people around at this time, and he goes to pick up his usual selection of food - two triangle <em> kimbaps</em>, a box of milk, and a bowl of <em> jajangmyeon</em>. He’s just finished paying for everything when the door to the convenience store opens again and Felix comes bounding in, smile pinching his eyes cutely together. </p><p> </p><p>“Lix!” Hyunjin calls, and Felix waves at him, goes to pick his own food too. </p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin takes the change from the cashier, thanking him as he goes, and shuffles over to the windows where the seating is and takes their usual corner spot. The sun is a gorgeous orange shade as he tears open the top of his <em> jajangmyeon </em> bowl and starts preparing the noodles idly; it isn’t long before Felix joins him as well, and they spend a couple of minutes getting their food ready before they sit down again. </p><p> </p><p>“So, what was it that you called me out today?” Hyunjin asks after his first mouthful of <em> kimbap</em>. “What’s the important news? It better not be another stray kitten or something, you know I’m -”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, yes,” Felix says, stirring his own bowl of spicy <em> ramyeon</em>, “I know, you know, we all know that you’re allergic to cat fur, thank you, Jinnie. No, I didn’t call you out because I found another stray cat in the alleyway - I have a friend that just returned from overseas because he finished university, so I thought you might like to meet him!” </p><p> </p><p>“Meet him?” Hyunjin asks suspiciously, “What do you mean, meet him? Do I know him? Where and how am I meeting him?” </p><p> </p><p>“Fine, I was trying to get you to go on a blind date with my friend,” Felix huffs as he opens his own carton of strawberry milk. “I don’t know if you know my friend, but that defeats the purpose if you already know him. Anyway - there’s no pressure, I just thought you could meet someone new! My friend is really nice, and I think he’s your type too, so what do you think?” </p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin pauses, thinks about it for a while as he chews the <em> jajangmyeon</em>. The noodles are salty on his tongue, but he doesn’t concentrate on the flavour like he usually does. </p><p> </p><p>How can everything be so coincidental? He was just thinking about meeting new people and the like, and here Felix is, offering him a chance to meet someone new. Already, even before he has agreed to it, there is excitement building up in the pits of his stomach, and he thinks maybe this could be the start of something exciting.</p><p> </p><p>“Alright,” Hyunjin says, takes the last bit of his milk before looking at Felix again. “I'll go on a blind date with this friend of yours.”</p><p> </p><p>“You’ll like him,” Felix assures him after a few quiet <em> yeah! </em>’s that make Hyunjin laugh. “He’s really nice, so don’t worry about it at all - just see how it goes! Oh - do you want to call him yourself, or should I call him? Wait, maybe I should…” </p><p> </p><p>“I’ll call him if the booth outside works,” Hyunjin says, partly joking. It’s been their inside joke that the booth outside this convenience store only works when the caller <em> needs </em> it to work; Hyunjin had tried calling friends before on it when his phone was working and the calls would never go through, but when he was desperate and in need of help, the call would always work, and he would always get the help that he needed. </p><p> </p><p>“A little phone booth magic?” Felix asks, laughing as well now, “Sure, why not. I’ll give you his number to call on the booth after we finish our food.” </p><p> </p><p>The rest of their dinner is spent relatively uneventfully, just them laughing over one thing or the other, whether it was Hyunjin’s stories about people at the dance studio, or Felix’s tales about the students at his primary school. It’s a familiar routine, but familiarity is never bad, and Hyunjin’s mood is lifted by the time they finish dinner and emerge back out into the colder air of the late evening. </p><p> </p><p>“Still up for that phone booth call?” Felix asks, and there’s a small little smile on his face. </p><p> </p><p>“Sure,” Hyunjin says, and they both make their way around the side of the store to the old phone booth. </p><p> </p><p>Even though the convenience store itself had been renovated and updated since they were children, the phone booth always somehow remained untouched. The paint on it was faded and peeling, and it blended in with the background so well that it seemed invisible unless one was actually looking for it. </p><p> </p><p>Easily, because he’s done this before for what must be hundreds of times, Hyunjin fishes out some coins and pushes a few into the coin slot at the top of the machine, picking up the receiver and presses it to his ear. There’s the dialing tone sounding, so it’s a good sign that the call will go through, and he nods at Felix for the number he needs to type in.</p><p> </p><p>He punches the numbers in one-by-one on the metal keypad as Felix instructs him to do so, and when he's done he waits as the phone feeds back the number tones into his ear and goes into a call. </p><p> </p><p>"<em>It's working</em>," Hyunjin mouths towards Felix, who gives him a thumbs-up in return, and waits for the other person to pick up the call with breath baited in his chest. </p><p> </p><p>It rings once. Twice. Three times, and -</p><p> </p><p>"<em>Hello</em>?" The voice says, sounding crackly and unrecognisable over the phone, like the voice has been fed through a distortion device. </p><p> </p><p>"Um - shit, hi! Sorry, my friend Felix told me to call you because he said you just came back to town and thought we should meet! Oh - I'm Hyunjin, by the way."</p><p> </p><p>"<em>Felix? Oh, you mean Felix Lee? Yes, I've just returned from overseas to work here again… I'm - </em> " The phone call cuts off for a second and Hyunjin's heart drops before the voice returns, "- <em> and when you say meet… do you mean like - like…</em>"</p><p> </p><p>"Like a blind date," Hyunjin says, with the kind of typical confidence that has landed him dates before. "It'll be nice to meet you…" He trails off, because he didn't catch the other person's name and doesn't quite know how to ask for his name again. </p><p> </p><p>"<em>Ah - then, let's say next Saturday? For lunch, how about that</em>?" </p><p> </p><p>"That'll be great! Oh, wait, I'll give you my number so we can discuss where you want to meet, would that be okay? I'm actually calling from a public phone booth right now."</p><p> </p><p>"<em>I figured this wasn't your number </em> ," The voice says, laughing, and the distortion clears a bit. Now the voice actually sounds a little familiar. " <em> The number was so strange I nearly didn't pick up. I'm glad I did though. Would you give me your number now</em>?" </p><p> </p><p>"Of course!" Hyunjin recites his number to the other person, wondering once again how he can ask for his name now. Except - he doesn't get another chance because the man thanks him and says he needs to go for work or something, and so hangs up on the call. </p><p> </p><p>"Guess I've got a date now," Hyunjin says sheepishly as he turns away from the phone booth and towards Felix instead. "I didn't get his name though, can you tell me his name?"</p><p> </p><p>"Well… he also goes by the name Sky," Felix says, and there is a suspicious light in his eyes. "That's all I'll tell you. Go and have fun with him now, I'm sure you'll like him!"</p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin rolls his eyes - but his phone buzzes in his pocket. Two new messages from an unknown number. The smile that stretches across his lips is entirely unprovoked, and he saves the new number. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>"What's this I heard about you going on a blind date?" Minho asks as soon as Hyunjin steps foot into the dance studio on a grey Monday morning. "Felix wouldn't stop talking about it, I think he's even more excited than you." </p><p> </p><p>"Yeah, I'm going on a blind date," Hyunjin says, setting his bag down on the bench at the back of the studio and looking over at Minho. "It's with this guy called Sky, we're going out next Saturday. I think Lix is excited because Sky is his friend and you know he likes to set his friends up together."</p><p> </p><p>Minho laughs at that. "That's true. But are <em> you </em> excited? I don't think you've been on a date in a while, what's made you suddenly want to agree to go on a blind date?" He's opening the blinds as he goes around the studio, and the studio is steadily filled with mild sunshine; it's a familiar scene and the wood of the studio floor reflects the sunshine so the air starts to get warm around them. </p><p> </p><p>"I am," Hyunjin admits, feels the same excitement that was in his guts creeping up to the bottom of his lungs where he breathes it out into the air, filling his mouth with the taste of anticipation. "I was just thinking about meeting new people actually, so it was really good timing."</p><p> </p><p>"I hope it goes well," Minho says, coming to press a hand down on his shoulder comfortingly. "There's an empty studio at five on Saturday if you need to hide from the world."</p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin sighs and leans into Minho's touch, glad that Minho is still his hyung despite everything. "I hope it goes well too. Well, it's Felix's friend so everything should be fine… I'll tell you how it goes next week."</p><p> </p><p>"What, don't you have a phone?" Minho asks, pressing the tip of his forefinger into the middle of Hyunjin's forehead. "Tell me how it goes after your date, if you're feeling up to it. Now - I hope you've been making the new choreography because we're supposed to be teaching that class in fifteen minutes." </p><p> </p><p>Sometimes, Hyunjin wonders how lucky he had gotten that he had ever met Minho. Not only had he been able to start teaching dancing as a job because Minho had started a small dance company, but he had gained a hyung and a friend all at the same time. He had never forgotten the pain and tears they both went through when the company had just started and they were barely scraping by; it's why he puts his everything and more into his job. Not just because he loves it, not just for himself, but to go even further as a way of repayment for those first days when Minho took him under his wing. </p><p> </p><p>Like clockwork, his days are filled with students and teaching, and his nights are filled with music and mirrors and creating new choreography for more songs. But now - it's punctuated by the ever-increasing excitement as the week draws closer and closer to an end and Saturday comes closer one step at a time.</p><p> </p><p>Already, he's had some back-and-forth with the man called Sky and Sky is both sweet and snarky in equal measures, though a little shy if their first conversation was anything to go by. They've been texting each other almost every day since Hyunjin called him, and Sky is a lot more comfortable now than he was a week ago. </p><p> </p><p>Sky had told him to pick out a restaurant for them, seeing as he hadn't been back in a while and so didn't know any good places to eat. After making sure Sky doesn't have allergies or anything he doesn't like eating, Hyunjin decides they can meet at the little restaurant that serves really good hotpot. If they're going to meet each other, they might as well spend time talking over hotpot as the food cooks. </p><p> </p><p>Sky tells him he'll be there at a quarter to twelve, and should have no problem finding him because he'll be wearing a white beret. Hyunjin tries to resist the urge from calling Sky cute, and tells Sky he'll be wearing a daisy necklace, making him relatively easy to single out as well.</p><p> </p><p>Maybe it's the excitement that blinds him. Or the fact that Felix had assured him Sky was nice. Or that he had already talked to Sky, and had come to find Sky a nice person. It could have been a combination of all three factors - but Hyunjin doesn't think about how familiar the voice sounds. Or the number that is also familiar, like he once knew this number. Or the profile icon on KakaoTalk that is still the same even five years later.</p><p> </p><p>If he had paid a bit more attention, would he have continued with the date? Would he have made up an excuse not to go? Or would he have called up Felix and asked for answers? </p><p> </p><p>There was simply no point to asking these questions now - because on Saturday, at a quarter to twelve, Hyunjin steps into the familiar hotpot restaurant and comes to see an even more familiar face. It’s a face that he once used to know really well, a face that made him smile when he saw it, and a face that his friends sometimes pointed out to him with a sly smile and a nudge to his side. </p><p> </p><p>And now, seeing that face again… it's like feeling his blood freeze into ice. It has been years since he saw this face, months since he’s even <em> thought </em> about this person, yet somehow there are ten thousand things that he suddenly wants to say, but in the end all that comes out is - </p><p> </p><p>"<em>You</em>."</p><p> </p><p>"Me," Seungmin says, a little bemusedly. "So it really was you, Hyunjin. I didn't think it really would be you, the call we had when you were in the phone booth kind of distorted your voice and Felix didn't say anything to me, but -"</p><p> </p><p>"I - I have to go," Hyunjin says abruptly, phone clutched tightly in his hand. "Sorry, I can't stay. I need to go."</p><p> </p><p>“What? But I thought -”</p><p> </p><p>“I - I have to do something, it just came up,” Hyunjin says, the excuses tripping out of his mouth so fast that he’s sure it doesn’t make sense. “I’m sorry, I need to go.”</p><p> </p><p>He turns around and backs out of the restaurant incredibly fast, so much so that he doesn't hear the <em> wait! </em>that Seungmin calls out to him, or the pained look that crosses Seungmin's expression as he leaves the restaurant door swinging in his wake. He throws himself out into the street again, made dark by the cloudy sky, and feels his own mood darken.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Kim Seungmin. Out of everyone… why did it have to be him?  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin can't even blame Felix - Felix doesn't know they know each other. Or, more accurately, that Seungmin hates him. </p><p> </p><p>He stops for a moment in the middle of the sidewalk to collect himself - and then starts walking again, making his way back to his apartment. He doesn't want to see anyone or talk to anyone. Just seeing - <em> him </em> - has ruined his mood for the rest of the day, and only brings up bad memories. He's already pretty sure that he'll regret what he's just done by walking out on Seungmin, but right now, he just wants to <em> leave</em>. </p><p> </p><p>He can deal with everything later.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>"<em>What's this about you walking out on Sky</em>?" Felix asks over the phone, and Hyunjin sighs, rolls over to bury his face into his pillow. He had just spent the whole afternoon fuming and now he feels guilty but he hasn't been able to call or text anyone, let alone respond to the messages Seungmin had sent him after he walked out. </p><p> </p><p>"Listen, I know him," Hyunjin says, "we used to go to the same primary and middle school. He's Kim Seungmin, right? Left to study law after high school… I still remember him."</p><p> </p><p>"<em>Oh - did you guys have a bad relationship? I'm so sorry, I didn't know that - </em>"</p><p> </p><p>"No, nothing like that!" Hyunjin insists before Felix can go on. "It's just that I'm pretty sure he hates me, Lixie… fuck, how am I supposed to apologise? He'll hate me even more now."</p><p> </p><p>"<em>... What? He hates you? Hyunjinnie, I think you've got it wrong? I've never heard of him saying that he hates you, and it's not like he was the one that walked out on you</em>." </p><p> </p><p>"Yeah, well, I'm sure he hates me," Hyunjin says, and is just the tiniest bit miserable about it. </p><p> </p><p>"<em>Do you wanna talk about it</em>?"</p><p> </p><p>"Ah… maybe another time? I'm sorry Lix, I just - I think I need to have a bit more alone time tonight. I'll catch up with you tomorrow or something."</p><p> </p><p>"<em>That's fine, don't worry about it! Only talk if you want to, yeah? I'll leave my ringtone up for you in case you want to call. Take care of yourself, Jinnie.</em>"</p><p> </p><p>Felix hangs up after he mumbles a soft agreement, then he rolls over onto his back to stare up at the ceiling blankly. There are a multitude of feelings brewing in his chest but he can't help but feel incredibly numb to them; he doesn't want to deal with anything tonight. Tonight that was <em> supposed </em>to have ended on a high note with the blind date. </p><p> </p><p>Felix's question comes back into his mind, and he tries not to let the memory get to him too much. </p><p> </p><p>It had started way back in primary school, when they were both small, snotty children. He had always been particularly affectionate, both as a child and now as an adult, and so seeking out skinship wasn't something he thought a lot about. After all, his way of showing love was - physical touch. A hug, a hand in another, arms tangled together, anything that involved him touching someone else. It was simply how he showed affection. </p><p> </p><p>And - every time, without fail, Seungmin would push him away.</p><p> </p><p>No matter what he did - a hug, an arm around his shoulders, holding hands - Seungmin would always squirm uncomfortably and make his way out of Hyunjin's touching perimeter. The first few times Hyunjin had been able to brush it off, but as it happened more and more, he slowly came to the conclusion that it must be that Seungmin hated him for him to shake off his skinship every time. </p><p> </p><p>He never had enough bravery to approach Seungmin to ask why, or if Seungmin hated him despite them being friends, and then Seungmin had left after high school. Hyunjin hadn't kept in contact with Seungmin after that, conscious that Seungmin probably hated him. Trust everything to come back and haunt him years later when he thought he had left everything behind.</p><p> </p><p>Slowly, his eyes drift over to where his phone rests on his nightstand, and guilt tugs at his heart again for not replying to his friends - and Seungmin - yet. He's sure that Seungmin will hate him even more now that he's just walked out on a date with him… he rolls over onto his stomach once again and groans into his pillow. </p><p> </p><p>The day has been too long. </p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin looks up, takes one more look at his phone - and turns it to silent mode. He'll deal with everything tomorrow; that's how he's always been, after all. For all that confidence that he has in public and in his dancing, there are still some things that he just can't do straight away. </p><p> </p><p>It's already been five years - one more day won't hurt anyone. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Somehow, he finds himself back at the convenience store the next day. It's late in the afternoon but he had only gotten out of bed a few hours ago, having slept in late then spent most of the morning playing games in an attempt to forget about what had happened yesterday. Eventually, hunger had made him get out of bed, and rather than cook something or wait for delivery he had decided he would eat at the convenience store. </p><p> </p><p>It feels a little strange not to tell Felix that he's going there to eat, but he still needs to spend a little time alone. The little mark on the KakaoTalk icon reminds him that he still has several unread messages he needs to reply to; he switches his phone off and pulls the jacket more warmly around his figure as he makes his way to the convenience store. </p><p> </p><p>The same warmth greets him like it did last week; nothing has changed here, yet for Hyunjin it feels like everything has changed. He still picks out the same two triangle <em> kimbaps</em>, the carton of milk, and the bowl of <em> jajangmyeon</em>, but there's a heaviness weighing on his chest that wasn't present last week. </p><p> </p><p>Everything doesn't taste as nice. The flavours just dissolve in his mouth into grey, and it feels like he's eating chalk. His chest feels uncomfortably tight, and even though he's hungry he doesn't have an appetite all at the same time. The phone with his unread messages is a heavy burden inside his pocket, and he tries his best to ignore it by turning his music up higher so it blocks any other sound from filtering in through his earphones. It doesn't quite work because the guilt is from his own mind, but it helps a little and he manages to finish his food like usual. </p><p> </p><p>He clears everything away and is about to return home when the convenience store phone booth catches his eye again. Had someone given it a new coat of paint? It looks significantly better than last week, and Hyunjin finds his feet taking him to the front of the phone booth without him knowing it. </p><p> </p><p>Again, like clockwork, he finds some loose change in his pocket and slips it into the coin slot. His fingers hesitate before the keypad, but then he's typing in the phone number he had become so familiar with over this week. </p><p> </p><p>When he puts the receiver up to his ear, there's nothing but static. Of course - he should have expected this; the phone doesn't work most of the time. Even though he knows this, he can't help but lean against the side of the phone booth and press the lower end of the receiver closer to his mouth, words there waiting to drop. </p><p> </p><p>"Hey," Hyunjin starts quietly, quieter than the static. "I'm sorry about - yesterday. I shouldn't have walked out on you. I was just worried that… that I would be bothering you again because I think you hate me. Felix says it's not true because you haven't said anything, but… it's not like we've asked you. Any one of us could be right. God - this is so fucking stupid, talking to no one… but I'm sorry, Seungmin. Sky. I'm sorry. I'm just not… I'm not brave enough."</p><p> </p><p>He finishes his monologue, but doesn't notice that the static has cleared away. Without bothering to listen any more, he places the receiver back down onto its holder and steps away from the phone booth again, this time fully intent on going back home.</p><p> </p><p>Now that he's said all of that out loud, even if it was to no one - he feels a little better. Not quite enough to want to talk to someone else, but certainly better in that his head is a bit clearer. His walk back is brighter and his steps lighter, and when he does reach home, his chest is a lot less tight than it was just ten minutes ago. </p><p> </p><p>Debating who he should text first - he decides he should talk to Seungmin first. Seungmin didn't deserve to be walked out on because of his assumptions, even if they were possibly true or not. </p><p> </p><p>[<em> Sky </em>]</p><p> </p><p>[<em> Yesterday, 13:10 </em>] hey, are you okay? i didn't mean to startle you like that </p><p>[<em> Yesterday, 13:10 </em>] i sorry if you didn't want to meet me </p><p>[<em> Yesterday, 17:15 </em>] i hope you're okay hyunjin </p><p> </p><p>[<em> 10:43 </em>] i think you don't want to hear from me but i want to apologise again. i'm sorry i didn't tell you who i was, i really didn't think it would be you. i hope you're feeling better today, i won't text you anymore</p><p> </p><p>God, shit, he's fucked up.</p><p> </p><p>[<em> 18:07 </em>] hey!! i’m the one that should be apologising for walking out on you, please don't feel bad :(( </p><p>[<em> 18:09 </em>] i was just going through a lot yesterday, i didn't expect to meet you but it's not that i don't want to meet you</p><p> </p><p>[<em> 18:10 </em>] are you sure?? </p><p>[<em> 18:10 </em>] you looked really cold when you saw me </p><p>[<em> 18:11 </em>] you don't need to pretend, it's okay </p><p> </p><p>[<em> 18:12 </em>] i'm not pretending</p><p>[<em> 18:12 </em>] i really am sorry for walking out on you, that was really shitty of me</p><p>[<em> 18:14 </em>] if you can forgive me i'll take you out again next weekend if you want</p><p> </p><p>[<em> 18:15 </em>] ah</p><p>[<em> 18:18 </em>] please don't walk out on me again </p><p>[<em> 18:19 </em>] i will if you won't walk out on me</p><p> </p><p>[<em> 18:20 </em>] i won't walk out on you </p><p>[<em> 18:20 </em>] i promise</p><p> </p><p>Their conversation goes back-and-forth a little more, but in the end Seungmin agrees to go out with him again, but the atmosphere of their conversation that was once warm and fluid is now cold and stilted, and Hyunjin hates that he’s the reason it’s happened. He knows he can’t turn back time so that he doesn’t walk out on Seungmin, but god, he sure wishes he could, just to stop all of this from happening. </p><p> </p><p>Seungmin ends the conversation first, saying that he needs to go take care of dinner for himself, and Hyunjin lets him go, tells him that he hopes he eats well. And now that he’s talked to Seungmin - he should talk to Felix as well. </p><p> </p><p>[<em> Haengbokkie </em>]</p><p> </p><p>[<em> 18:54 </em>] hey are you free rn?? </p><p> </p><p>[<em> 19:00 </em>] yeah!! what’s up?</p><p> </p><p>[<em> 19:00 </em>] is it okay if i call you? </p><p> </p><p>[<em> 19:01 </em>] yeah sure :D</p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin makes the call then, fingers tapping on his desk nervously as the call takes it time to connect. When it finally does, he’s greeted by Felix, voice deep in tone but full of cheerfulness, just like usual. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Hyunjinnie? What’s up?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Ah - I just talked to Seungmin just now. I apologised to him for running out on him and I asked to take him out again next weekend… I also promised not to run out on him again like I did. I - I feel so bad for what I did to him.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “What did he sound like?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Well - he apologised to me for some reason, even though he didn’t do anything wrong. And - and I think I should tell you what I meant when I said I think he hates me.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Don’t feel like you need to tell me anything, okay? It’s okay if you don’t want to, I can distract you as well if you want.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“No, I want to tell you,” Hyunjin says, and feels like there is a ball of lead stuck in his throat. “I just - well, I think it started in primary school. You know I’m the kind of person that likes skinship, right?” </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Yeah, yeah I do.”  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“And I show my affection through skinship, so, like, I always hug my friends and stuff. But since primary school Seungmin’s always pushed me off when I tried to like, hug him or when I do similar things. At first I just thought it was nothing but it always happened and so… I just came to the conclusion that he didn’t like me, and as it got worse - I thought he hated me.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “You never asked him? This seems serious, Hyunjinnie, how long has it been?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“I never asked him. I - I’m kind of a coward when it comes to these kinds of things. He left after high school so - it’s been like, years. I really thought I would never see him again but… things don’t work out the way we want it to, right?” Hyunjin finishes, and his laugh is a little bitter. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “I see… Hyunjin, I know this might not be what you want to hear, but you need to talk to Seungmin about this. I don’t think he knows that you think he hates you, and anyway, do you really think he would agree to go out with you again if he hates you?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Ah… I don’t think so…?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Oh Hyunjin, I think you need to think about this for a while. I’ve talked to Seungmin after your whole running out fiasco and he sounded more upset with himself than he is with you. I think you guys need to talk. You said you’re going out with him again next weekend, right?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, yeah I am, but - what do you mean you talked to him? What?!” </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “I talked to him after that whole fiasco! I won’t tell you anything other than he was upset with himself, but why don’t you take the time this week to think about what you want to say to Seungmin next weekend?” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“... I will. I think I’ll have to, anyway. Thanks for listening, Lix, really…”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “You don’t need to thank me for listening, we’re friends! Take care of yourself, alright? You can call me if you need anything, or even if you just want to talk.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Alright, I will - don’t worry. Thanks again, Lix… I’ll hang up now.” </p><p> </p><p>There is a lot of food for thought after those two conversations he’s just had, and he doesn’t quite know where to start. First, that Seungmin possibly does <em> not </em> hate him? Or that he has to think more about things between him and Seungmin? He can’t think about anything else for the rest of the night - he feels <em> exhausted </em>. </p><p> </p><p>Maybe he’ll think about asking Minho for advice tomorrow when he goes into work. Minho had asked to know how his date went - or now, how it did <em> not </em> go. Yeah, maybe he’ll ask Minho what he should do tomorrow; it’s at least another perspective that he trusts, and he’ll have a plan figured out before next weekend when he has to meet Seungmin.</p><p> </p><p>Hopefully.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Telling Minho goes exactly as how he had expected it to go. </p><p> </p><p>Minho looks incredulous when Hyunjin tells him he walked out on Seungmin, and when Hyunjin reveals that he thinks Seungmin might hate him and that was the reason as to why he walked out, Minho’s expression turns thoughtful.</p><p> </p><p>"Maybe you should think about why you care so much that he hates you," Minho suggests carefully. "I know you well enough that you know when to give up on someone, or to ignore them, like that one ex-student who was borderline obsessed with you, or the other one who hated you for no real reason other than you have a nice face. Why do you care so much that Seungmin-ssi possibly hates you?"</p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin hesitates. "Well… we've been friends for a long time, and he must have felt uncomfortable if he didn't like my skinship for so many years. And - and I treasure our friendship. I - I care."</p><p> </p><p>"You said you talked to him as a stranger after so many years, right? How did you feel then?" Minho prompts, and it feels like he's trying to guide Hyunjin to a conclusion that Hyunjin can't quite make out yet. </p><p> </p><p>"Well - under the context that we were going on a date with each other… I found him attractive, I guess. Like - he was funny and sweet and I wanted to get to know him more as well. He - well, talking to him made me want to meet him,"  Hyunjin admits and wonders if he's being dense about something. </p><p> </p><p>"So…?" Minho says, and it feels like he's using up every drop of patience with Hyunjin. "Put that together with how worried you are that Seungmin hates you, Hyunjinnie."</p><p> </p><p>"I find him attractive… and I'm worried that he hates me…" Hyunjin starts uncertainly, and as he looks at Minho's pinched expression, it suddenly occurs to him. "Wait - do you mean I'm so worried about him hating me cause <em> I like him</em>? <em> No</em>! Absolutely <em> not</em>!"</p><p> </p><p>Minho groans and throws a notebook at him. "My god, you're so <em> dense </em>. What do you think about that, you hopeless idiot?"  </p><p> </p><p>"That's not possible!" Hyunjin cries, feeling like his world is falling apart because he likes to be dramatic like that. "I <em> can't </em> like him, that's not allowed!"</p><p> </p><p>"Who's not allowing you?" Minho asks amusedly, reaching over Hyunjin's lap to get his notebook back while completely ignoring that Hyunjin is going through a life crisis at the tender age of twenty-two.</p><p> </p><p>"I… well, no one, but - ! I mean, I just… fuck, is that why I was always so worried that he hates me? It was because I always kind of liked him? Hyung, what the fuck!"</p><p> </p><p>"Why are you asking me?! These are <em> your </em> feelings!"</p><p> </p><p>"Hyung!"</p><p> </p><p>"Hyunjin!"</p><p> </p><p>"God, how am I supposed to meet him now?" Hyunjin whines, "This is unbelievable! I - fuck, why didn't I realise this sooner?"</p><p> </p><p>"What on earth would you have done if you had realised your feelings earlier? I hardly think you'll up and confess to him, not with how worried you are that he hates you… which, by the way, you need to talk to him about. It's not good to keep speculating about things like this, it'll put a dent in your relationship."</p><p> </p><p>"Can't put a dent if there isn't a relationship to begin with," Hyunjin grumbles. “Fine, I’ll think about what I want to talk to him… and thanks, hyungie. I know I complained, but -”</p><p> </p><p>“But you’re glad you have my very important opinion, I know,” Minho completes for Hyunjin, smiling winningly. “You’re so welcome. Now, I sicken to say this, but I have to tell you that we’re opening up in five minutes, and if you don’t get your ass off the floor you <em> will </em>be run over by our students.” </p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin groans about that again just for the sake of it, but he gets up and puts on a smile for the students that will soon be filing in. </p><p> </p><p>Both Felix and Minho are right - he needs to talk to Seungmin. His assumptions that Seungmin has hated him since their childhood stems from just his observations and experiences, and he doesn’t know what Seungmin is thinking about. He needs to have a conversation with Seungmin - this weekend. He has to. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“I don’t understand,” Seungmin says, voice teetering on the edge of panic, “I don’t know what I did, he just walked out like that! Do you think - oh my god, do you think he hates me? Is that why he walked out?” </p><p> </p><p><em> “Hey, hey, breathe, Seungminnie,” </em> Felix says, voice staticky over the phone, <em> “Hyunjin must have had a reason for walking out. Did he say anything when he met you there?” </em></p><p> </p><p>“He said he couldn’t stay or something like that,” Seungmin murmurs, “I don’t really remember, everything happened so fast…” He had, in fact, remembered everything that Hyunjin said, but the cold look from someone that used to be his close friend hurts a lot more than he thought he would. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "You didn't tell him that you thought you might know each other?" </em>
</p><p> </p><p>"No - isn't it kind of weird? To ask a stranger if they already know me? And it's not like I recognised his number… I lost all my contacts a couple of years after I moved overseas, and his was one of them. I just - Felix, his <em> expression </em>… I think he hates me." </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "You're the last person I know that would jump to conclusions so fast like that. Did you text him? I think you guys need to meet again, there must be a reason for Hyunjin to act like this… I can ask him for you if you want." </em>
</p><p> </p><p>"No! Don't ask him, that just seems - suspicious, you know, like I put you on his trail to find out things for me. If he doesn't want to see me it's fine."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "But did you text him?" </em>
</p><p> </p><p>"I did. I have - yesterday after he ran out and then this morning. He hasn't seen my messages at all… I don't think I've been blocked but this means he doesn't want to see me right?"</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "Minnie, listen to me for a second. Don't jump to conclusions like that - maybe Hyunjin was just surprised to see you, or he really had something to do. Wait for him to reply, or try to call him later when you feel a bit better." </em>
</p><p> </p><p>"Okay - okay, I will," Seungmin sighs, sitting on the edge of his bed with his free hand clenched into a fist on top of his thigh. "I just… I feel like shit, and I don't really know why. It's not like I haven't run into old friends and they just ignored me too… it hurts a lot more when it's him."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "Seungmin… I know I'm the one that set you guys up on a blind date, but do you already have feelings for Hyunjin? I mean, you're really hung up on this, more than the other times…" </em>
</p><p> </p><p>"No!" Seungmin cries immediately. "No, I don't! I just - he's just an old friend that I was close with. So… so that hurts…" He mumbles, but then the gears are turning in his mind; shouldn't he be <em> glad </em> that Hyunjin doesn't want to go on a date with him? That meant they were just the same, remaining as friends. Sure, there was a high chance that Hyunjin probably hated his guts right now and that was why he was hurt - but when he remembers that Hyunjin had texted him he was excited to go on a date, then walked out the next day - </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "Seungmin? Are you there?" </em>
</p><p> </p><p>"I hope he hates me," Seungmin says, voice kept carefully bland and neutral so that his pain won't leak through the phone. "It would be easier for him to hate me than for us to become friends again."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "So… this means you like him?" </em>
</p><p> </p><p>"God, I wish I never came back at all, Lix."</p><p> </p><p>Yet, despite everything that he prays and wishes for, reality is permanent ink on the notebook that is his life, and he can't turn back the time or unmake his choices. It's with a heavy heart that he ends the call with Felix, and puts his phone away. He can't keep thinking about Hyunjin and fretting about when Hyunjin will reply to him - he needs to continue with his own life, and that means deadlines for work that he has to meet. </p><p> </p><p>Even so, he can't concentrate on his reading at all. The facts of the case are sitting in front of him - patchy at best and he would need to chase the prosecution service for more information - but not one word goes into his head. His hand itches to get his phone to check if Hyunjin has replied to him, but he resists the urge. </p><p> </p><p><em> 'Until 6,' </em> Seungmin tells himself, <em> 'I'll check my phone at 6.' </em></p><p> </p><p>He doesn't quite do that. Instead, he goes to get some snacks from his kitchen and spends a good few minutes wondering what the hell he's going to do if Hyunjin actually replies to him. Apologise again, probably, and never talk to him again. </p><p> </p><p>If he can ignore the fact that he's just realised that he has leftover feelings for Hyunjin from years ago. Not the best time to realise things like this - but no matter. </p><p> </p><p>With no expectations at all, he picks up his phone and turns it on. He isn't expecting Hyunjin to have read his messages, let alone to reply to them, except - </p><p> </p><p><em> He has</em>. </p><p> </p><p>He's got some messages from Hyunjin from just a couple minutes ago, and he opens the KakaoTalk app with shaky fingers, heart suddenly pounding at double speed as it rises into the base of his throat. It really is Hyunjin. The messages are an apology, saying that he had a lot of things on his mind yesterday, and that it wasn’t that Hyunjin didn’t want to meet him. </p><p> </p><p>It feels like a lie. </p><p> </p><p>Still, he doesn’t want to ruin the delicate tension between them with an accusation like that, not when he suspects Hyunjin actually hates him - and for what reason? It’s been years since they last saw each other and he doesn’t think they parted on bad terms - so instead he asks if Hyunjin is okay, yet again. </p><p> </p><p>For someone that walked out on him, Hyunjin seems particularly insistent that they set up their blind date again, and so Seungmin finds himself in the same position once again. </p><p> </p><p>“Next Saturday, same place…” Seungmin murmurs to himself, and sets a reminder on his phone anyway. It feels like he’s setting himself up to be heartbroken and disappointed yet again, but he can’t find it in himself to say no when Hyunjin is asking him so earnestly like this.</p><p> </p><p><em> Just one more time, and I’ll ask him everything, </em> Seungmin promises himself, puts his phone down again. <em> Just once more</em>.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>This Saturday is a lot brighter than the past one, Hyunjin muses to himself. He is once again getting ready to go on - a date? A meeting? - to go and meet Seungmin, except this time he’s got words that has been concealed inside him for years that are waiting to be spoken.</p><p> </p><p>He can’t help but be a lot more conscious of how he looks this time. He knows that it’s Seungmin he’s meeting, and he knows that he has some feelings for Seungmin as well, and he ends up spending a bit more time on his hair and makeup, fretting about his outfit and making several changes before he’s satisfied. </p><p> </p><p>“What am I doing this for?” Hyunjin asks out loud to himself, and leaves his apartment before he can talk himself into changing his outfit again. </p><p> </p><p>It’s still early until the time they agreed to meet, but Hyunjin wants to be early. He doesn’t want to be late because he fears that Seungmin will think he walked out on him again, and if he’s early he can spend a bit of time going over what he wants to say. A fairly good plan all around, Hyunjin thinks to himself, and starts walking to the little hotpot restaurant again. </p><p> </p><p>The sky is unusually blue today, and as he looks up at its brilliance he can’t help but be reminded of Seungmin. His life is still the same for the most part, but somehow it feels like everything has changed at the same time, and all because of the one person he thought had hated his guts for years.</p><p> </p><p>His thoughts revolve around fractions of Seungmin like he’s looking in a thousand different mirror fragments, all of which contain memories of Seungmin, and none of them match up because he’s never had enough courage to actually ask Seungmin why he always pushed his skinship away for years. </p><p> </p><p>By the time he makes it to the little hotpot restaurant, it feels like he’s gone through his entire arsenal of memories since primary school, and he can’t help but feel the bitterness of insecurity rise up through his throat into his mouth. He pushes it down as he walks into the restaurant - and is surprised to find Seungmin already there, waiting in a corner of the front of the restaurant. </p><p> </p><p>Seungmin looks nervous. He’s fidgeting with his phone and the ends of his sweater, and without reason or thought, Hyunjin steps towards Seungmin with only one intent in mind - to comfort. </p><p> </p><p>"... Hey," Hyunjin says, a little awkward as he taps on Seungmin's shoulder. "I'm here."</p><p> </p><p>"Oh!" Seungmin says, turning around. He's still wearing the white beret he said he would a week ago. "You… you came."</p><p> </p><p>"I did," Hyunjin says, nodding, then he turns to the waiter at the reception booth. "I have a table reserved under Hwang?"</p><p> </p><p>"Hwang… ah! Yes, sir, right this way please." </p><p> </p><p>They follow the waiter to their table, both trying valiantly to ignore the growing awkwardness between them. As they sit down, Hyunjin can't help but <em> look </em> at Seungmin. </p><p> </p><p>It's been years since he last saw Seungmin, and even though he's seen Seungmin intermittently on social media from posts or stories, it doesn't do justice to how Seungmin actually looks now that he's in front of him. As far back as Hyunjin can remember, Seungmin had always been cute, but now Seungmin looks - gorgeous. There is sparkly eyeshadow sweeping over his eyelids and his mouth is tinted red; his cheeks are still the same softness and his hair gently sweeps over his forehead with his beret perched on top. </p><p> </p><p>Seungmin looks like everything he has ever loved and will come to love; yet he has to sit here and accept that Seungmin probably hates him and he'll have to let go of his hand permanently now.</p><p> </p><p>“Um - do you know what’s good to eat here? I’ve never been here before…” Seungmin says, trailing off uncertainty and Hyunjin breaks himself out of his reverie, feeling his cheeks grow warm.</p><p> </p><p>“Ah, well, I usually get this set when I come with my friends… you’re not allergic to anything, right? We can get this set and then add on anything else you want to or that you like.” </p><p> </p><p>Seungmin agrees to his idea, and Hyunjin orders everything for them, listing the things he wants carefully to the waiter. </p><p> </p><p>“Will that be all, sirs? There’s a dessert set on offer right now that is great for couples, would you like to try that?” </p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin’s cheeks flame at the word couple. </p><p> </p><p>“We’ll think about that later,” Seungmin chimes in, smiling at the waiter. “Thank you for telling us.” </p><p> </p><p>Seungmin doesn’t deny that they aren’t a couple. Hyunjin stores this information for later when his heart isn’t threatening to thud out of his chest because he’s trying to figure out where to start talking. </p><p> </p><p>“Um - about last week,” Hyunjin starts, stares at Seungmin’s hands that are clasped together on top of the table. “I’m sorry about last week. I… I wasn’t expecting to see you, but it wasn’t right of me to walk on you like that, I really am sorry.”</p><p> </p><p>“I… I know it’s a strange question to ask, but - but when you walked on me last week… was it because… you didn’t like me?” Seungmin asks hesitantly; his fingers have laced together nervously, and Hyunjin feels his heart drop into his stomach.</p><p> </p><p>“What do you mean? Of course I like you! I mean, I agreed to come out with you and all, didn’t I?”</p><p> </p><p>“That was when you knew me as Sky, a stranger,” Seungmin points out, which is fair. “But you looked so cold when you saw me… I don’t know, I just thought that you didn’t like me, which is why you left… you’re not really good at making up excuses, you know.”</p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin bristles a little at that, but reminds himself that he has better things to say than take offense at his excuse-making skills. “I know I left you, but I asked you to come out again even when I knew you as Seungmin, my old friend.”</p><p> </p><p>“Then - then why did you leave that first time?”</p><p> </p><p>“Truthfully - well, I left because - because I thought <em> you </em> hated <em> me </em>, and I wasn’t expecting to see you at all, not after so many years.”</p><p> </p><p>“You think I hate you?!” </p><p> </p><p>“Ah - yeah? It sounds kind of silly now that I’m saying it, but I -”</p><p> </p><p>“Hyunjinnie, I have <em> never </em> hated you! I <em> like </em> you - look, I’m on a date with you and I dressed up and everything, how can you think I hate you? We’ve been friends since primary school and I know we didn’t keep in touch after high school but I have never hated you.” </p><p> </p><p>“But… but when we went to school together you always pushed away my skinship and so I thought it meant you didn’t like me. I didn’t know what to do, and I was always a bit dramatic - you know me, especially when I was a kid. We never stayed in touch after high school so I guess it all kind of got out of hand…”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh. I - I’m sorry about that. I’m not the kind of person who likes a lot of skinship, especially when I was younger… I’m sorry I made you feel that way, Hyunjin, I had no idea. I’m not a big fan of skinship… like, if you hold my hand or something it’s fine, but if it’s hugs or these kind of things I prefer it if people ask me first.” </p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin tries not to focus on Seungmin saying that hand-holding is fine. “No, I’m at fault too, I didn’t ask you about these things and I just assumed it. It’s… well, it feels silly that I’ve been hung up on this for years, but it’s good to get it out of the way. And - ah - when you said you like me… did you mean that?” </p><p> </p><p>“My god,” Seungmin groans, hiding his face behind his hands, the sleeves of his sweater slipping down his arms, “Hyunjin, why do you <em> want </em> me to say it again? It’s so embarrassing? I was so upset when you walked out on me last week, I think that tells you enough about how much I like you, no?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well,” Hyunjin says, feeling like the lead ball in his throat has lifted and disappeared entirely, “if it makes you feel any better, I’ve been so worried if you hated me for years because I think I’ve liked you for a while now.” </p><p> </p><p>Seungmin puts his hands down, and there’s just the slightest tint of red colouring his cheeks; he looks wonderful to Hyunjin. “For a while? We haven’t seen each other in years, Hyunjin.”</p><p> </p><p>“You can figure out what that means,” Hyunjin mutters, feeling heat all the way from his face down to his neck as the food arrives. They don’t get to talk for a while as the waiter helps them to set up the hotpot and put in some ingredients, and when they’re finally left alone again, Hyunjin tries not to think about how Seungmin is already looking at him. </p><p> </p><p>Seungmin had always been one of the few people that had been able to see right through his usually confident exterior. Sure, being confident and loud is him, but the person that is a bit clumsy and takes this a bit too much to heart is also him, and the fact that Seungmin knows all of this and yet still likes him - that’s a bit dizzying. </p><p> </p><p>“Shall we eat?” Seungmin suggests, and Hyunjin nods. </p><p> </p><p>For all of his hesitancy to call this a date, it really does feel like a date now. They pick out food for each other, and when he sees that Seungmin likes some of the food in particular, he calls for more of that and pretends the smile that Seungmin gives him doesn’t make his heart skip a beat. </p><p> </p><p>Seungmin is still the same as he was years ago. His work and ambitions are neatly laid out, but he still has his dreams, of baseball and photography and when Hyunjin tells him of his dancing his face brightens. There is the prettiest light in his eyes when he talks about what he’s been doing for the past few years, and he promises to send Hyunjin some pictures if Hyunjin wants them.</p><p> </p><p>(of course hyunjin wants them.)</p><p> </p><p>Halfway through the meal - their date! - they exchange social medias, and there is the unspoken promise formed between them that they should keep in contact from now on. </p><p> </p><p><em> ‘Does he want to go out on another date?’ </em> Hyunjin wonders to himself as they work on finishing the last of the food. <em> ‘Or does he want to remain just as friends? But he said he likes me… so surely that must mean…?’ </em></p><p> </p><p>“Seungminnie,” Hyunjin calls when Seungmin’s finished chewing on whatever is in his mouth, “would you like to go on another date with me?” </p><p> </p><p>Seungmin had forgotten how confident Hyunjin usually was when he felt comfortable; it makes his chest squeeze tight - not out of discomfort, but out of attraction - and the smile that blooms over his face is already enough of an answer in itself. “We haven’t even finished this date and you want another one already?” </p><p> </p><p>“I think I’ve wasted enough time already,” Hyunjin says, and when he laughs it sounds like warmth and happiness; Seungmin wants to hear it again and again, sure that he’ll never tire of it. “I want to go on another date with you, Minnie, what do you think?” </p><p> </p><p>“I’d like that too,” Seungmin replies, and then Hyunjin reaches for his hand and they’re holding hands over the table. </p><p> </p><p>“Think you’re up to finding out what that couple’s dessert entails?” Hyunjin asks, and Seungmin thinks he can get used to this. </p><p> </p><p>“What, are we a couple now?” Seungmin returns, mirth curling the corner of his mouth, and he looks so delighted that Hyunjin can’t help but smile back. </p><p> </p><p>“Well, we’re on a date and all, what gives?” </p><p> </p><p>“Hmm, then I’ll give you my answer on our second date then,” Seungmin says, equally as teasing as Hyunjin.</p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin laughs then, bright and unfettered. It sounds like the sky when they burst out onto the street later, their hands still tangled together and their faces flushed with happiness. </p><p> </p><p>“Sky,” Hyunjin says, voice filled to the brim with affection. They’re stolen away in some alleyway, surrounded by brick but with the sky a gorgeous rectangle of blue overhead; Hyunjin only looks at the sky in front of him, in his arms. </p><p> </p><p>“Yeah?” Seungmin says, and his voice is soft, just a whisper. Hyunjin wonders if this is what he would sound like on the latest of nights and earliest of mornings. </p><p> </p><p>“I want to kiss you,” Hyunjin says, keeps his hands on Seungmin’s hips after making sure Seungmin is okay with this level of skinship. “I really want to kiss you.” </p><p> </p><p>Seungmin pauses then, looks into his eyes. He’s already smiling, the small kind of smile that is full of tenderness and Hyunjin thinks that if he does get to kiss Seungmin their affection will be equally matched. </p><p> </p><p>“Okay then,” Seungmin says, and he tips his face up, getting just that bit closer to Hyunjin. “I want to kiss you too.” </p><p> </p><p>Maybe it wasn’t the greatest idea to ask for a kiss right after their meal, but Hyunjin likes the press of Seungmin’s lips against his regardless, and he ends up kissing Seungmin’s mouth several more times in succession after they part initially. They stand there for a while, warm in each other’s arms under the blue rectangle that is the sky, and it’s Seungmin who speaks first. </p><p> </p><p>“You’re cute,” Seungmin says, smiling. His lips are red. </p><p> </p><p>“And you’re cuter, so who’s the real winner here?” Hyunjin returns.</p><p> </p><p>“I think we’re both winning,” Seungmin murmurs, and then he’s leaning in again for another kiss. </p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin doesn’t want to leave this rectangle of blue sky, but he thinks that if Seungmin will be there even outside this rectangle he’d be willing to go. It’s strange how things happen, he thinks because the one person he thought that was predictable, the one that had his life perfectly in order; that same person had come in and shaken his life up and made it exciting again.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p><em> “Why are you calling from that convenience store phone booth again? Don’t you have my number?” </em> Seungmin laughs as he picks up the call, and Hyunjin smiles even though he knows Seungmin can’t see it. </p><p> </p><p>“I missed you,” Hyunjin says, pouting a little. It’s almost ten at night, and he had stopped by the convenience store to get some food before he went back to his apartment; the phone booth had shone brighter than the background as he passed by it, and he had stopped to make a call instead.</p><p> </p><p><em> "You saw me yesterday when you came to have lunch with me," </em> Seungmin reminds him. Maybe it's the late hour and long day that makes Seungmin a lot softer than he usually would be. <em> "But I miss you too." </em></p><p> </p><p>"Take care of yourself," Hyunjin murmurs, "you look more tired these days. I'll come over this weekend to your place if you want. We can just chill and I'll make sure you rest."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "That sounds really nice… and - oh, I'll go to your showcase next week. You were waiting for me to RSVP right? I'll go." </em>
</p><p> </p><p>"I thought you had a case that day?"</p><p> </p><p><em> "I made time for you," </em>Seungmin says, and Hyunjin thinks maybe his eyes are just a little wet. </p><p> </p><p>"I'll put you into the guest list. I need to walk home now, Minnie, I'll text you later, yeah?"</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "Walk home safe, and text me when you get back." </em>
</p><p> </p><p>"Sure, sure. See you, Minnie."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> "See you, Jinnie." </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The call fades into static before Hyunjin can put the receiver down; he backs away after putting it down, and he looks at the metal keypad for a few seconds. </p><p> </p><p>He still remembers picking up the receiver all those months ago. He still remembers punching in the numbers for Seungmin's number. He still remembers the distorted voice, and now - he's just heard the sweet of Seungmin's voice as his <em> boyfriend.  </em></p><p> </p><p>Hyunjin walks back to his apartment under the wide expanse of the velvet night sky, and his steps are light and heart lighter. He still has his routine and his familiarity; there is just the added excitement of having Seungmin back in his life - but he knows that even if one day Seungmin becomes another part of his familiarity he'll never tire of Seungmin. </p><p> </p><p>(and if hyunjin bothered to look back, he would have seen the phone booth glow a little in the night, neon like the sign marking out the convenience store it belongs to. but - that was fine, that hyunjin didn't see it. after all, magic was always at its strongest when he just believed in it.)</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>just a quick note that when i mean "childhood enemy" i mean that Very Loosely, and i tried to interpret it as children having assumed something quickly and then instead of clarifying things, just grew up with that assumption and now has to face the miscommunication years later! i just thought it was an interesting take on "childhood enemy" bc god knows how many childhood friends i have that i think hate me because some minor thing or other happened good times am i right &lt;3</p><p>my <a href="https://yeongwonlino.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/yeongwonlino/">Twitter</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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